Expansible band



Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXPANSIBLE' BAND William C. Johnson, East Providence, R. I.

Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. 701,263

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the textile art, and has particular reference to the manufacture of expansible bands.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an elastic band construction which will not shift or slip when expanded.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elastic band construction which utilizes longitudinal stretchable elements and transverse binding elements which are locked to the longitudinal stretchable elements and to additional longitudinal interlocking elements.

Another object of the invention is to manufacture an elastic band having rubber warp threads and transverse weft threads of cotton filling, the rubber warp threads and the transverse weft threads being locked together by longitudinally extended woven nylon warp threads.

Still another object is to provide an elastic band construction which is particularly suitable for use in surcingl-es and girths for race horses.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred construction, and. more specifically defined in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an arrangement of several elastic bands forming a surcingle and a girth for mounting a saddleon a race horse;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail showing the appearance of the face portion of an unstretched band used in forming the surcingle and the girth shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 diagrammatically illustrate how the successive sheds are formed to effect the weaving of the band;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view showing, as an illustrative section, the interlocking engagement of theface Warp threads with filling thread and an interposed rubber thread;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the interlockingengagement of the back warp threads with the filling thread and an interposed rubber thread; and

Fig. 9 is another similar view, being a, composite of Figs. 7 and 8, showing the interlocking arrangement of the various threads.

It has been found desirable to provide an elastic band construction which will stretch longitudinally, but not laterally, and which will not slip or shift when it is in stretched condition.

Such a construction is particularly suitable for surcingles and girths for mounting saddles on race horses, to prevent movementor slipping of the saddles during a race, but such construction may be used for any elastic band, such as for example abdominal bands, trusses and the like, where it is desired to have a firm securing hold without slipping or shifting.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a construction particularly designed for surcingles girths for mounting saddles on race horses, the preferred construction utilizes an upper elastic surcingle II] which is'made of two parallel elastic bands I I, I2 joined at their ends, and having a leather end strap connection I3 and an end buckle connection l4, and a lower'elastic girth .I 5 which preferably is made of three parallel elastic bands I 6, I1, I8 secured at their ends to leather end buckle connections I9, 20; The bands II. I2, I6, I! and I8 are all of similar construction.

The construction of the elastic band utilizes a plurality of longitudinal rubber warp threads 2|, a cotton weft or filling thread 22 and two sets of warp threads, preferably of nylon, which together with the filling thread form a fabric portion on one side of the rubber threads and a fabric back portion on the other side of the rubber threads.

It is a feature of the invention that only a single filling thread is used to effect the weaving of both the face and back portions on opposite sides of the elastic warp threads.

Looking first at Fig. 7, the sets of inelastic warp threads 23a and 23b are shown in their respective positions to illustrate how these threads primarily form the face portion of the band while nevertheless becominga part of the back portion. For purposes of illustration, the filling thread 22 is shown in two elevations with a rubber warp thread 2| horizontal. It is to be understood, however, that the shuttle containing the filling thread picks across the loom at one elevation and that all the warp threads are selectively shifted vertically to form suitable sheds (see Figs. 3 to 6), for the traverse of the shuttle and filling thread.

As indicated in Figs. 3 to 6, the rubber thread II is shifted for each pick (a, b, c and d) of the filling thread, the latter thus passing succesively on one side and then the other of the filling thread 22. The face warp threads 23a remain above the filling thread for three picks (a, b and c) and then are under the filling thread for a single pick (d) Likewise other face warp threads 23b remain above the filling thread for three picks (a, c and d) and are below it during one 3 pick (b). The times when the two sets of face warp threads are below the filling thread are staggered and thus the weave diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8 is attained. Note that each set of face warp threads 23a, and 23b are over the filling thread for three picks and then under for the next pick, and since the underpasses are in staggered relation one set or the other of the face warp threads pass under the filling thread on each pick.

Fig. 8 indicates the manner in which the inelastic back warp threads form the back portion of the band while also bepass over each second pick of the filling thread With reference to Figs 3v to 6, the set of back warp threads 230 are above the filling thread during pick a and below during the other picks b, c and d. The other set of back warp threads 2301 are above the filling thread duringpick c and below it during the other picks a, b and d.

Fig. 9 is a composite showing of Figs. '7 and 8. On the pick a of the filling thread 22, the sets of face warp threads 23a and 23b, and the set of back warp threads 230 are all above the filling thread, with the rubber threads 21 and the set of back warp threads. 2311 below the filling thread. On the pick b the face warp threads 23a and the rubber threads are above the filling thread while the face Warp threads 23b, and the back warp threads 1230 and 23d are below it. On the next pick the face warp threads 2311 and 23b and the back warp threads 23d are all above the filling thread and the rubber threads 25 and the back warp threads 230 are below. On the next pick d of the filling thread, the face warp threads 2321 and the rubber threads 2| are above the filling thread while the face warp threads 23a and back warp threads 23c and 23d are all below the filling thread.

At the edge of the band the fillingthread 22 is looped around the edge of the band as indicated in Fig. 2.

The expansive band is thus composed of elastic warp threads, inelastic face warp threadsinelastic back warp threads and inelastic weft thread interwoven with all of said warp threads, the repeat for the face warp threads being three up and. one down and the repeat for the back warp threads being three down and one up.

The above described construction thus forms a unique weave at both the face and'back portions. of the band and bychoosing a greater or less number of warp threads in a group, any desired pattern of weave may be obtained, keeping in mind the desired interlocking of the various threads together so that there is afirm grip on 3c and 23d primarily the hide of the race horse and a complete elimi= nation of slipping and shifting.

This type of construction is also particularly suitable for abdominal bands, truss bands, and other surgical arrangements, where it is desired to firmly grip part of the human body under tension, with no slippage despite changes in tension produced by movement of the body parts.

While I have described a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvio'u'sthat changes in the size, shape and material of the parts may be made to suit the requirements for different expansible bands, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An. expansive band composed of elastic warp threads, inelastic face warp threads, inelastic back warp threads and inelastic weft thread interwoven with all of said warp threads, the repeat for the face warp threads being three up and one down and the repeat for the back warp threads being three down and one up.

An elastic band construction for surcingles, girths and the like, comprising at least two expansive bands secured together at their ends, each band being composed of elastic warp threads, inelastic face warp threads, inelastic back warp threads and inelastic weft thread interwoven with all of said warp threads the repeat for the face warp threads being three up and one down and the repeat for the back Warp threads being three down and. one up.

WILLIAM C. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 118,610 Hays et al Aug. 29, 1871 121,268 1 Baker Nov. 28, 1871 223,141 Jehnke Dec. 30, 1879 1,578,643 Clauss Mar. 30, 1926 1,644,667 Clauss Oct. 11, 1927 1,644,816 Clauss Oct. 11, 1927 1,650,998 Nones Nov. 29, 1927 1,716,816 Chisholm June 11, 1929 1,950,559 Kendrick Mar. 13, 1934 2,177,439 Moore Oct. 24, 1939 2,188,183 Grosser Jan. 23, 1940 2,194,860 Martin Mar. 26, 1940 2,196,957 Cosman. Apr. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date- 3,318 Great Britain of 1883 6,957 Great Britain of 1896 21,806 Great Britain of 1895 396,281 Great Britain Aug. 3, 1933 

